KARACHI: Former Asian junior No 2 Mohammad Majid Ali entered his name in the annals of the game when he pulled off the biggest upset while routing top-ranked Babar Masih as seeded cueists continue to fall in the eighth National Bank of Pakistan Ranking Snooker Championship at the bank’s sports complex on Wednesday.

A native of Sumandari, Faisalabad, the 22-year-old Majid, turned out to be the pick of the day when he humbled Babar 4-2 (29-79, 68-52, 90-8, 63-52, 48-70, 81-39) to post second win in three games of group A.

Majid, who has yet to play two more matches, is still in contention for a place in knockout round from the group.

Sharjeel Mehmood continued his giant killing run when he sent second seed Sohail Shehzad packing 4-2 the scores being 40-94, 49-28, 72-25, 24-114, 55-24, 62-23.

He had demolished Rambel Gul and Mohammad Asif in back-to-back matches in earlier matches.

Third seed Asjad Iqbal, the three-time winner of NBP Cup, suffered his second loss when he went down to former national champion Mohammad Asif Toba 2-4. The latter was home 75-25, 30-76, 86-45, 73-0, 19-51, 78-23.

Sindh’s Zulfiqar A. Qadir and Punjab’s Mohammad Ijaz came up with a century break apiece — 112 and 103 — respectively.

Results:

Zulfiqar A. Qadir (Sindh) bt Abdul Raheem (Punjab) 4-2 (59-76, 1-78, 75-0, 71-10, 112-0, 77-15); Mohammad Asif (Punjab) bt Rambel Gul (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 4-1 (104-6, 66-36, 84-25, 13-62, 72-26); Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) bt Khurram Hussain Agha (Sindh) 4-1 (75-41, 77-24, 71-8, 45-58, 73-13); Imran Shehzad (Punjab) bt Abu Saim (Punjab) 4-1 (98-0, 89-36, 30-104, 49-36, 66-20); Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) bt Babar Masih (Punjab) 4-2 (29-79, 68-52, 90-8, 63-52, 48-70, 81-39); Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) bt Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) 4-2 (40-94, 49-28, 72-25, 24-114, 55-24, 62-23); Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab) bt Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) 4-2 (75-25, 30-76, 86-45, 73-0, 19-51, 78-23); Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) bt Ian Mark John (Sindh) 4-1 (64-9, 68-31, 82-33, 37-56, 78-8); Shahid Aftab (Punjab) bt Mohammad Iftekhar Khan (Sindh) 4-2 (10-69, 84-4, 67-47, 65-54, 62-64, 70-12); Rambel Gul (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) bt Mohammad Faheem (Punjab) 4-0 (65-37, 55-41, 75-0, 90-38); Khurram Hussain Agha (Sindh) bt Abdul Jawed (Punjab) 4-2 (36-63, 70-34, 41-47, 66-30, 76-8, 56-26); Shahram Changezi (Islamabad) bt Imran Shehzad (Punjab) 4-3 (54-51, 10-105, 9-54, 78-21, 25-99, 66-9, 51-28); Abdul Sattar (Sindh) bt Mohammad Saqib (Punjab) 4-0 (64-28, 97-8, 99-13, 64-29); Mohammad Ijaz (Punjab) bt Muzammil Khan (Sindh) 4-1 (118-8, 112-8, 68-69, 66-1, 53-5); Mohammad Aafzal (Punjab) bt Haris Tahir (Punjab) 4-2 (8-63, 68-1, 59-22, 94-42, 36-63, 58-37).

Thursday’s fixtures:

At 10am: Shahid Aftab (Punjab) v Abdul Raheem (Punjab); Mohammad Asif (Punjab) v Abdul Sattar (Sindh); Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) v Mohammad Ijaz (Punjab); Abu Saim (Punjab) v Mohammad Afzal (Punjab).

At 12noon: Babar Masih (Punjab) v Zulfiqar A. Qadir (Sindh); Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) v Mohammad Faheem (Punjab); Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) v Abdul Jawed (Punjab); Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) v Shahram Changezi (Islamabad).

At 2pm: Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) v Mohammad Iftekhar Khan (Sindh); Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) v Mohammad Saqib (Punjab); Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab) v Muzammil Khan (Sindh); Ian Mark John (Sindh) v Haris Tahir (Punjab).

At 4pm: Mohammad Asif (Punjab) v Mohammad Faheem (Punjab); Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) v Abdul Jawed (Punjab); Abu Saim (Punjab) v Shahram Changezi (Islamabad).

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2016